Folding top for vehicles.



J. M. SHARRER.

FOLDING TOP FIOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION man own. 1913.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917- WITNESSES A TTOR/VEY JACOB M. SHABRER, OF NEW YORK, 1\T. Y.

FOLDING Tor son VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 27, 1913. Serial No. 868,929.

1 b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB M. SHARRER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprove ments in Folding Tops for Vehicles, of which the follow ing is a specification. V

This invention relates to folding tops for vehicles and has for its principal objects to provide a construction in which the forward or outrigger bow is securely supported, the covering material properly held up, and in which further advantageous features are employed as will more fully appear from the detailed description and will be particularly pointed out in the claims. 1

In the-drawings illustrating this invention,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic .view illustrating the improved top in an unfolded position stretched over the vehicle. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustratlng the top as partly folded.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental. detail view illustrating the guides for the flexible suspending member.

Referring in detail to the drawing, theflexible covering material of the top is supported by a rear bow 10, a main how 11, and a forward bow 12. Pivoted upon the for ward bow are the links 13 to which are hinged the outrigger bow 14 with a hinge 15 which breaks in a downward direction only. These links constitute in efi'ect extensions of the arms of the outrigger bow as is usual in tops of this character. Intermediate the ends of the links 13 are pivoted links 16 which are connected by a flexible cable 17 to a stationary point 18 on the frame of the machine adjacent to which is disposed a turn buckle 19 through which the length of to cable may be adjusted. Suitable guides are provided on the forward bow 12 for deflecting the cable, lowering the same so as.

to avoid its being interfered with by the covering material of the top when the same is folded. This guide preferably consists of a pair of pulleys 20 between which the cable passes rearwardly and another pair of pulleys 21 located some distance below the pulleys 20 between which the cable is further pulled and thence passes through an eye 22 formed on the main bow 11 and between a pairpf pulleys 23 upon the rear bow 10 to the'polnt of attachment 18 previously described.

For supporting the covering material of the. top'between the forward bow and the outrigger bow, an auxiliary bow 24 is provlded extending preferably from the pivot ofthelinks 16 upon the link 13, and to this auxiliary bow are pivoted another pair of links 25 extending to the outrigger bow. A.

also avoids any possible creeping of the cable, asby reason ofthe' turn about the guide pulleys it is maintained in position to greater advantage. The use of the links 16 further avoids any possibility of catching'or tangling of the cable at those points as the length corresponding to these links can be always maintained rigid without interfering with the action of the flexible connection.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent:

1. A folding top for vehicles comprising a rear bow, a main bow, a forward bow, an outrigger-bow extending from the forward bow, links for supporting the outrigger bow and a flexible connection extending from each of said links and attached to relatively stationary points, said flexible connections serving as suspension means for the links and outrigger bow.

2. A folding top for vehicles comprising a rear bow, a main bow, a forward bow, links extending from the forward how, an outrigger bow hinged to the links, another pair of links pivoted to thefirst mentioned links and flexible connections extending from said links passing overa supporting point on the forward bow and fastened to relatively stationary points.

3. A folding top for vehicles comprising -a main bow, a forward bow, an outrigger bow extending therefrom, a pair of guides,

mama Feb. 6, 1917; r

m v F one above the otherdisposed upon the forward bow and a flexible suspending member connected to the outrigger bow passing over the upper and lower guides and fastened to a relatively stationary point.

4. A folding top for vehicles comprising a mainbow, a forward bow, an outrigger bow extending therefrom a pair of guides, one above the other disposed upon the forward bow, a guideupon the main bow and a flexible suspending member connected to the outrigger bow passing over the upper and lower guides upon the forward bow through the guide upon the main bow and fastened to a relatively stationary point.

5. A folding top for vehicles comprising a main bow, a forward bow, an outrigger bow extending therefrom two, pairs of pulleys disposed upon the forward bow, one over the other and a guide upon the main bow and a flexible suspending member connected to the intermediate bow passing between each pair of pulleys and through the guide upon the main bow and fastened lo a relatively stationary point.

6. A folding top for vehicles conmrising a rear bow, a main bow, a forward bow, an outrigger bow extending therefrom, guides upon the forward, main and rear bows and a flexible suspending member connected to the outrigger bow and passing over the guides upon the forward, main and rear bows and fastened to a relatively stationary point.

7. A folding top for vehicles comprising a rear bow, a main bow, a forward bow, an outrigger bow extending therefrom, guides upon the forward, main and rear bows, and a flexible suspendlng member connected to the outrigger bow and passing over the guides upon the forward, main and rear bows and fastened to a relatively stationary point, and means for adjusting the length of the flexible member.

8. A folding topfor vehicles comprising a mainbow, a forward bow, an outrigger bow extending therefrom having a break joint intermediate the ends thereof, an auxiliary bow pivoted to the outrigger bow at one side of the break joint and a flexible suspension running from the point of connection of the auxiliary bow with the outrigger bow over the guide on the forward bow to a stationary point upon the vehicle.

9. A folding top for vehicles comprising a main bow, a forward bow, an outrigger bow extending therefrom having a break joint iintern'iediate the ends thereof, an a u x iliarv bow pivoted to the oi'ltrigger bow at one side of the break joint, a link pivoted. to the outrigger bow at its point of connection with the auxiliary bow and a flexible suspension connected with the link, a guide on theforward bow over which the flexible suspension passes and means for fastening the latter to a stationary point.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 19th day of November, A. D. 1918.

JACOB M. SHARRER.

Witnesses:

J OHN WAGENER, MINNIE S. MILLER,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

